The Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate has partnered with the U.S. Army to open a new chemical security laboratory at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland.
The experimental facility will support the Chemical Security Analysis Center’s risk and consequence models and contribute critical scientific data to current and emerging S&T projects, DHS said Wednesday.
The Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center will bring its expertise in the areas of chemical threat agents, chemical defense, and toxic industrial chemicals to come up with findings critical to national readiness.
“Having the ability to conduct our own experimental laboratory research alongside our Army partners brings a more holistic approach to our chemical security analytics and allows us to model analyses rapidly in support of DHS components and other federal, state and local partners with greater precision,” said Kathryn Coulter Mitchell, DHS senior official performing the duties of the undersecretary for science and technology.
DHS S&T and the Army also expect the facility’s location would improve its capability and return on investment.